griswold



. 0 W S I R G N. B

SUSPENSION DEVISE EOE LAMES AND oTEEE ARTICLES.

Patented 001;.A 5, 1886.

l u g., I771/1111111 1111/1 willi/111111111111 N. PETERS. PncwLmmgmpner.wamingmn. D. C.

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. N. GRISWOLD.

SUSPENSION DEVISE POR LAMPS AND OTHER ARTIGLLS.v No. 350,429. PatentedOct. 5, 1886..

14am/f5 SES l l (mac/WUR NITED STATES ATENT' FFICE@ EDVARDv N. GRISWOLD,OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR LAMPS AND ARTlCLES.

SPLCFICATIQN I'orinling part of Letters Patent ICQ-350,429, datedOctober 5, 1386.

Application filed August l5, 1885. Serial No. 174,506. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD N. GRiswoLD, of the city of Brooklyn, countyof Kings, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Suspension Devices for Lamps and other Artcles,of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices employed to counterbalance the weight ofa lamp or other article suspended from a ceiling or other support, sothat the lamp or other article will remain' at any position into whichit may be adjusted vertically, and yet can be easily raised.

I will describe in detail a suspensiondeviee embodying my improvement,and then point out the improvement in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of asuspension device embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan or top viewthereof, certain parts being removed to disclose features which wouldotherwise be hidden. Fig. 3 is a detail thereof. Fig. 4 is a view of anarbor of modified form which may be employed in the device. Fig. 5 is aView of an arbor and brake of modified form which may be employedin thedevice.

Like letters designate like parts inail the figures.

A designates a drum. This drum may be made of metal, and is hollow. Itis provided with anges a, extending eircumferentially about the same.Between the iianges cords or chains B are wound upon the drum. I haveshown two of such cords or chains; but one only need be employed, ifdesirable. A counterbalance is combined with the drum here shown. Itconsists of a convolute spring, C, coiled within the drum and about auarbor,D. One end of the spring is secured to the arbor D in any suitablemanner, and the other end thereof is secured to the drum A. The spring Gis intended to counterbalance the weight of a lamp or other articlesuspended from the cords or chains B. The arbor D passes centrall ythrough the drum A, and the drum may turn freely about the same.

The drum A and arbor D are supportedin a frame comprising two portionsor plates, E E', and post-s or pillars b,extending between them, andsecuring them rigidly together. The portion or plate E is arranged abovethe drum, and the portion or plate E below the same. Said frame may becast in one piece,if desirable. The arbor D extends through suitableapertures iu said frame above and below the drum. The arbor does notrotate. It is prevented from rotation by afeathcr or spline-arrangedbetween the arbor and the portion or plate E. Below the portion E of theframe is a collar or washer, b. A nut, F, prevents the frame and drumfrom passing off from the arbor D. Guides consisting of pnlleysF aremounted on pins or studs upon the pillars or posfs b of the frame. Thecords or chains B pass over the pulleys F. i

I prefer to construct the arborD as follows: Near the upper end thereofthe sameis screwthreaded. This screw threaded end receives theinternally-screw-threaded end` of a hollow cylinderortube, G, which mayadvantageously be made of brass, but may be made of other metal. Theother end of the cylinderG is eX- ternally screw-threaded to receive acap, c, to which is connected by a swiveling connection a loop, H, bymeans of which the device'is suspended from a hook or other support.Wedges or cams Iare arranged in the cylinder G, between the upperportionl of the drum and the portion or plate E of the` frame. In theexample ofmy improvementshown the wedges or cams I are formed by theupper edges of inclined slots. It is'advantageous to employ slots,because the same may be easilycut into the cylinder; but these wedges orcams may be stamped or cast in the cylinder, if-desired,and need notnecessarily extend through the wall of the cylinder or form part ofslots. The wedges or cams are formed inthe arbor, as the cylinder G isin effect part of the arbor. There slots are einployed,they willpreferably extend spirally to the outer end of the cylinder, for reasonsto be hereinafter explained.

Ofcourse,the arbor maybe made of one solid piece, instead of a solidpiece and a cylinder forming an extension thereof, and then inclinedgrooves would be formed in them, as shown in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings.

J designates a brake. This brake consists of a disk, preferably ofmetal, provided with a central aperture and fitting about the tube orcylinder G of the arbor D, between the portion E of the frame and thedrum. It may oscillate or vibrate freely about the arbor, and is, ashere shown, guided thereby. Lugs or pro jections d, constitutingabutments upon the edge of the brake adjacent to the arbor, bear againstthe wedges or cams I. NVhere slots or grooves are used, by extendingthem to the JTO outer end of the cylinder, the insertion and removalofthe abutments d upon the brakeis facilitated. I prefer to face theside of the brake nearer the drum with india-rubber, leather, or othersuitable material to increase its f'rictional resistance.

rlhe brake J is normally in contact with the drum. W'hcn the drinn isrotated in the direction to unwind the cords or chains, or, in otherwords, against the resistance ofthe spring C, the brake J', owing` toits frictional contact, rotates with the drum a short distance. Theabutments d on the brake bear against the inclined wedges or cams I,which are therefore caused to exert a wedge-like action upon theabutments, which forces the brakedownward- ]y,so that it will bear withgreater force upon the drum. Si ops c (here shown as lugs or pins)extend downwardly from the portion E ofthe trame, and into the path of'teeth or projectionsf upon the outeredge of the brake. These stopsprevent a too extended rotation ot' the brake in the direction in whichit is rotated by the drum during the unwinding ofthe cords or chains.Obviously but one stop need be employed. XVhen the cords or chains arebeing rewound, or, in other words, when the Weight upon the cords orchains is relieved, the spring C operates to rotate the drum in areverse direction to that just described. This operation reverses thedirection of rotation of the brake. The position of the wedges or camsis therefore changed in such relation to the drum and abntmcnts l thatthepressnre ofthe brake upon the drum wi ll be rel axed,and the d rummay then rotate freely. Then slots or grooves are employed, there are,as a consequence,wedges or cams I formed by the lower edge of said slotsor grooves, in addition to the wedges or cams l. rlhese formel-,actingon the abutments, tend to move the brake upwardly or away from the drum.

the brake and between it and the portion E of the frame. These springsare bow-shaped, and have their ends bearing upon the brake. They may beadjusted toward and from the brake, so as to increase or decrease theirresistance, by means of thumb-screws g, passing through tapped holes inthe portion E of the frame. cured to the springs K about midway in thelengths ot' the latter.

It' the cylinder or tube G were rigidly secured to the brake, or thebrake were otherwise 'provided with wedges or cams, and the abutments flwere upon the arbor, the effect would be the same. In such case thebrake I have shown such an, arrangement in The thumbscrews g are rigidlyse- It will be seen that by my improvement I am enabled to construct asuspension device which will operate very effectively to resist therotation of the drum in the direction to unwind the cords or chains orwhen the weight of the lamp or other article is applied thereto, butwill permit the drum to rotate freely when the cords or chains are beingrewound or when the latter are relieved from the, weight of the articlesuspended therefrom.

I am aware that a suspension device has been made in which a brake orbrake-shoe is in contact with the interior of` the drinn, and a swingingrod or arm extends between the brake or brake-shoe and an abutmentsupported by the arbor. Such a suspension de vice is shown in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 323,051, July 28, 1885. I do not herein layclaim to anything claimed in said Letters Patent.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is*- 1. The combination, with afi-ame and arbor constituting the iixedportion of thermachine, of' a spring-drum mounted on said arbor, cordsor chains wound upon said drum and passing to the article to besuspended, a plate in contact with the drum and in close proximity toapart of the fixed portion of the machine, said plate and fixed portionheilig provided, the one with a wedge or cani and the other with aprojection acting in conjune tion with said wedge or cam, and stopsprojecting from the fixed portion of the machine engaging said plate,substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with ai'rame and arbor constituting the fixedportion ot' the inachine, of a spring-drum mounted on said arbor, cordsor chains wound upon said drum and passing to the lamp or other articleto be suspended, a plate surrounding the arbor and in contact with thedrum, said plate and fixed portion being provided, the one with a wedgeor cam and the other with a projection acting in conjunction with saidwedge or cam, and stops projecting from the fixed portion of the machineengaging said plate, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a frame and ar' bor constituting the fixedportion of the machine, of a spring-drun1 mounted on said arbor, cordsor chains wound upon said drum and passing to the article to besuspended, a plate in contact with the drum and in close proximity to apart of the fixed portion of the machine, said plate and iixed portionbeing provided, the one with a wedge or cam formed by a slot or grooveand the other with a projection acting in conj unetion with said wedgeor cam, and stops projecting from the xed portion ofthe machine engagingsaid plate, substantially as specified. l

EDWARD N. GRISWOLD.

Witnesses:

R. B. MollIAs'rnR, Grits. A. MURPHEY.

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